Description

Candidiasis is a condition in which Candida albicans, a common form of digestive yeast, grows out of control and causes infection. Candida albicans are the most common digestive yeast and can become problematic in the body when they proliferate.

Contributing Factors

ystemic candidiasis can occur when the balance between yeast and bacteria in the digestive tract is upset and Candida gains the upper hand. This condition often develops as the result of immune dysfunction or disease, both of which can upset the ratio of beneficial to harmful bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. A change in the intestinal pH level may also result in candidiasis.

A decrease in healthy immune function can be caused by a number of factors, including certain medications (such as birth control pills, antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs]); toxic metals (mercury, lead, cadmium, nickel, and aluminum); stress; and consuming too many refined carbohydrates and sugars. Most holistic experts agree that the alarming rise in the number of people with Candidiasis is due primarily to an increase in the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics.

Signs and Symptoms

Like most toxins, the mycotoxins produced by Candida tend to settle in the weakest organs and tissues. Since each individual has a different area of genetic or acquired weakness, the symptoms of candidiasis often manifest as those of different disorders. There are numerous signs and symptoms associated with Candida overgrowth. They include:

Bad breath

Blurred vision

Brain fog

Chemical sensitivity

Depression

Fatigue

Food sensitivities and allergies

Insomnia

Joint and muscle pain

Persistent gas and bloating

Recurrent bladder infections

Recurrent vaginal yeast infections ❑ Sinus problems

Sugar cravings

When its long roots, known as rhizoids, puncture the mucosal lining of the intestine, Candida can cause increased intestinal permeability. Undigested food particles can then “leak” into the bloodstream, triggering an immune response. This is known as Leaky Gut Syndrome.

Because Candida is often the cause of Leaky Gut Syndrome, systemic Candidiasis can be viewed as an underlying condition and even a cause of allergies and other autoimmune disorders. Once leaky gut occurs, the toxins produced by Candida are carried via the bloodstream to other organs of the body such as the brain, nervous system, joints, and skin. The liver can become overloaded with stored toxins, which greatly impairs its ability to work as a detoxifier, and this can lead to chronic disease.

Description

Constipation occurs when an individual experiences fewer than 2 to 3 healthy bowel movements daily. Essentially, if your bowel movements occur less frequently than your food intake, you are suffering from constipation.

Contributing Factors

A combination of diet and lifestyle factors ultimately results in this condition.

✓ Diet. Perhaps the most important factor with regard to constipation is maintaining a healthy diet. A diet that consists of too many refined sugars, starches, alcohol, and processed foods greatly contributes to constipation.

✓ Lack of exercise. Exercise triggers the lymphatic flow that helps stimulate peristalsis (the wave-like motions that move food through the intestines). This is essential to producing healthy bowel movements.

✓ Changes in routine. When normal daily activity is altered, the bowel can become constipated.

✓ Lack of time. Many people do not create the time to eliminate regularly.

Signs and Symptoms

Constipation slows down food transit time and can lead to the absorption of toxins from the digestive system. Such toxins originate from putrefied fecal material that has not been eliminated. Once allowed to enter the bloodstream, those toxins can cause poor digestion and infrequent bowel movements or constipation. The result is a form of self-poisoning or “autointoxication”. Some of the problems associated with this pattern include:

Arthritis

Bad breath

Body odor

Brain fog

Depression

Diverticulosis

Gas and bloating

Headaches

Indigestion

Obesity

PMS

Tips To Address Constipation

1. HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS. Use an effective, natural formula to help cleanse the colon.

5. EXERCISE. Try to exercise daily, or at least three times per week for thirty minutes each time.

6. TRAVEL. When traveling, try to maintain a healthy diet and follow a regular sleep schedule.

7. CREATE TIME TO GO TO THE BATHROOM. Allow yourself time in the morning to go to the bathroom, even if it means getting up a little earlier than usual.

8. CORRECT POSTURE. Keep your feet raised on a telephone book or a device designed for proper elimination posture.

9. TRY COLON HYDROTHERAPY. In contrast to a traditional enema, colon hydrotherapy involves repeated infusions of filtered, warm water into the colon to help tone the bowel and promote healthy elimination.

Description

Diarrhea occurs when the stool is too quickly eliminated from the body and there is insufficient time for water to be absorbed back into the body. The result is that the stool retains water and becomes runny.

Contributing factors

It is important to understand that diarrhea is not, in itself, a disease; it is a symptom. In the case of chronic diarrhea (lasting more than three days), finding the underlying cause is essential to determining the proper course of treatment. There are many possible causes of diarrhea, including tainted food or beverages, bacterial infection, lactose intolerance, parasites, dysbiosis, short bowel syndrome, diverticular disease, drugs, laxative overuse, fungal infection, inflammatory bowel disease, viral infection, and food allergies.

Signs and Symptoms

Liquid stool lasting more than three days is considered chronic diarrhea. Medical intervention may be necessary if the diarrhea is severe, bloody, or accompanied by:

High fever

Rectal pain

Significant abdominal pain

Signs of dehydration (dry mouth, excessive thirst, exhaustion)

Steps To Address Diarrhea

1. REPLACE ELECTROLYTES AND LIQUID. Drink plenty of water, herbal tea, fruit juices and meat and vegetable broth to replace the electrolytes and liquid lost during chronic diarrhea. Special electrolyte replacement drinks are also recommended.

2. AVOID DAIRY PRODUCTS. Because the small intestine may be temporarily deficient in lactose (the enzyme needed to digest milk sugar), avoid dairy products while addressing diarrhea.

3. GET TESTED. Consider a food sensitivity test to determine if the cause of diarrhea may be food-related.

4. IDENTIFY AND TREAT. It is important to identify and treat any underlying causes of chronic diarrhea. These may include parasites or infection.

5. INCREASE FIBER INTAKE. Adding more fiber to the diet will help bulk up a watery stool.

6. REPLACE INTESTINAL FLORA. Maintain a healthy bacterial balance in the digestive tract with a daily probiotic supplement that includes Acidophilus and Bifidus.

Description

Heartburn is a burning sensation in the chest behind the breastbone or lower esophagus. It is caused by the reflux of stomach contents (including hydrochloric acid) into the lower portion of the esophagus. Contrary to popular belief, excess stomach acid is not the culprit in most cases of heartburn. In fact, it is a lack of stomach acid that most often causes the condition.

Contributing Factors

Insufficient HCl production can be the result of several factors: genetic predisposition, chronic overeating, vitamin deficiencies, or regular use of antacids. However, the result is the same—gastric distress. The development and increasing severity of heartburn can result from many causes, including inadequate chewing; swallowing large amounts of air while eating; insufficient water intake; poor food combining; overeating; consuming coffee, tea, carbonated drinks, alcoholic beverages and chocolate, as well as fatty, fried, and spicy foods; eating too rapidly or while upset; and lying down after eating. Other factors may include pregnancy, overweight, stress, excessive smoking, constipation, the use of aspirin and ibuprofen, wearing tight-fitting clothing (which constricts the abdomen), ulcers, gallbladder problems, allergies, enzyme and vitamin deficiencies, and hiatus hernia (a condition in which the upper portion of the stomach protrudes into the chest cavity through an opening in the diaphragm).

Signs and Symptoms

Symptoms of heartburn may include:

Abdominal distention after eating

Flatulence and belching

Nausea

Sense of over-fullness after eating

Burning sensation in the esophagus

Upper abdominal pain

Steps To Address Heartburn

1. CHANGE YOUR DIET. Consume foods in combinations that are easy on your digestive system. For example, eat meat with vegetables instead of starches, or eat starches with vegetables. Eat fruits alone or not at all. Don’t overeat. It takes 20 minutes after eating before you feel full; stop eating before you are full. Reduce the amount of fatty and fried foods that you eat. Eat slowly, and chew your food thoroughly. Do not drink a lot during meals, as this dilutes the HCl and makes digestion less efficient.

4. DO NOT LIE DOWN IMMEDIATELY AFTER EATING. Avoid lying down immediately after eating, and when you do go to bed, sleep with the upper portion of your body slightly elevated (at least four to six inches).

5. WEAR LOOSE CLOTHING. Loosen tight clothes or belts while eating.

6. LIMIT INTAKE OF ASPIRIN and NSAIDs.

7. TAKE DIGESTIVE ENZYMES. Instead of taking antacids following meals, take digestive enzymes (that include HCl) prior to eating.

Description

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) involves intestinal dysfunction without physiological abnormalities. Although the exact cause of IBS is unknown, there seems to be an underlying abnormality with regard to the contractions of the bowel.

Contributing Factors

Because traditional medicine has been unable to identify an organic cause for IBS, emphasis has typically been placed on psychological factors, as implied by the term “intestinal neurosis” once used to describe the condition. Certainly stress can aggravate and even trigger symptoms of IBS, but there are also other important factors involved.

The colon of an IBS sufferer seems to be more sensitive and reactive to stimulation than that of most people. Intestinal spasms may be the result of eating certain foods; abdominal distention caused by gas; and even emotional stress. While these factors may not cause undue gastrointestinal (GI) distress in the average person, they can trigger painful abdominal spasms for the IBS sufferer.

Other factors that appear to play a role in IBS include hormonal changes (women often experience a flare-up around the time of their menstrual cycles), low-fiber diets, and infection. Many patients have reported an onset of symptoms during or immediately following a GI infection or abdominal surgery. Finally, the use of certain medications may also contribute to IBS. Antibiotics frequently cause GI problems and diarrhea, and steroid medications may affect the flora (bacteria) balance in the gut, which may then contribute to IBS.

Signs and Symptoms

IBS affects people of all ages and backgrounds, including children. It is commonly characterized by abdominal pain and altered bowel function such as constipation, diarrhea, or alternating diarrhea and constipation. Symptoms will vary from person to person, and while some people experience occasional mild symptoms, others may experience more pronounced symptoms. Symptoms of IBS may include:

A “lump in the throat”

Abdominal pain and spasms
(often alternating)

Anxiety

Bowel urgency or incontinence

Chest pain

Depression

Diarrhea and/or constipation

Difficulty swallowing

Excess mucus in the colon/stool

Fatigue

Frequent urination

Heartburn

Nausea (with or without vomiting)

Although IBS is a serious problem, it is not life-threatening and can be managed with diet and lifestyle changes, as well as natural supplementation.

Description

Leaky Gut Syndrome is a name given to a very common disorder in which the main defect is an increasingly porous intestinal lining. With leaky gut, the intestinal lining becomes inflamed, irritated, and very porous, thus allowing toxic material, bacteria, and undigested food particles to enter the bloodstream.

Contributing Factors

While there is no single cause of leaky gut syndrome, contributing factors may include chronic stress, impaired digestion, a disruption in the balance of intestinal bacteria, poor diet, parasites, Candida overgrowth, environmental contaminants, chemotherapy, radiation, and prolonged use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). One of the more common causes of leaky gut is the continued consumption of foods that can be highly irritating to the intestinal lining. These include wheat and gluten, corn, dairy, and processed foods.

Signs and Symptoms

In addition to the clinical conditions listed, those suffering from leaky gut syndrome may display a wide variety of other symptoms, including:

Abdominal pain or cramps

Anxiety/nervousness

Chronic fatigue

Constipation

Depression

Food and chemical sensitivities

Gas and bloating

Indigestion

Joint pain and stiffness

Liver dysfunction

Malnutrition

Diarrhea immediately after eating

Muscle aches and pains

Poor immunity

Poor memory

Psoriasis/eczema

Steps To Address Leaky Gut Syndrome

1. HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS. Use an effective, natural formula to help repair the intestinal lining.

2. IDENTIFY AND TREAT. It is important to address the underlying causes of Leaky Gut Syndrome, such as Candida and/or parasites.

3. CHANGE YOUR DIET. Avoid irritating foods such as wheat and gluten, dairy, corn, alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and processed foods. You may also want to consider getting a food sensitivity test to determine which foods to avoid.

4. IDENTIFY AND AVOID.Avoid known irritants to the intestinal lining such as household and environmental chemicals, food preservatives and dyes, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

5. AVOID RAW VEGETABLES. During times of significant irritation, it is best to avoid raw vegetables and opt instead for lightly steamed vegetables, fish, and lean protein.

6. STRESS MANAGEMENT. Research and utilize various stress management techniques to deal with stressful situations.

Description

A parasite is an organism that lives off another organism. Parasites living inside the human body will feed off our cells, the food we eat, the supplements we take, and our energy.

Contributing Factors

Although many external factors contribute to parasite infestation, the biggest factor is internal: an unhealthy colon, largely the result of poor dietary and lifestyle habits and a bacterial imbalance in the digestive tract. Once the ideal ratio of 80% beneficial or neutral bacteria to 20% harmful bacteria is disrupted, the resulting imbalance creates an environment conducive to parasite infestation.

Nutritional deficiency appears to contribute to parasites. Daily diet affects the body’s internal environment, which plays a key role in determining whether parasites will pass through or infest the body. Parasites can enter the body by ingestion, inhalation, or through the skin (including through the bottom of the feet). They can also be transmitted via insects. Common sources of parasites include contaminated soil, fruits, vegetables and water; raw or rare meat; pets; mosquitoes; contact with feces (such as in daycare centers); and contact with someone who has parasites. Another factor that contributes to the growing parasite epidemic is the widespread use of drugs that suppress the immune system. Many of the drugs in common use today are immunosuppressive and therefore increase our susceptibility to parasitic infestation.

Signs and Symptoms

Parasites can affect tissue anywhere in the body. Disorders that have been associated with parasites include arthritis, multiple sclerosis, appendicitis, weight gain and weight loss, cancer and epilepsy. Parasites can mimic other disorders, but they may also produce no noticeable symptoms at all. Some common symptoms of parasites include:

Allergies

Anemia

Bed-wetting

Brain fog

Diarrhea or constipation

Digestive complaints (gas, bloating, and cramps)

Disturbed sleep

Granulomas (tumor-like masses that encase destroyed

Irritability/nervousness

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Joint pain

Muscle cramps

Overall fatigue

Pain in the umbilicus (navel)

Persistent skin problems

Post-nasal drip

Prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate gland)

Ravenous appetite (or loss of appetite)

Rectal itching

Sugar craving

Teeth grinding

Because parasites can get into the bloodstream and travel to any organ, they can cause problems that are often not recognized as parasite-related. This can result in an incorrect or incomplete diagnosis.

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